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The Michigan Messenger going forward

By Staff Report | 11.16.11

I am writing today to announce the closure of the Michigan Messenger. After four years of operation in Michigan, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news into a single site, The American Independent at Americanindependent.com. This is part of a shift in strategy, towards new forms [...]

Colorado-based abstinence program provided false and misleading information to Michigan students

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By Todd A. Heywood | 11.16.11

An abstinence-only presentation provided to numerous school districts in Calhoun and Eaton Counties in October of this year provided false and misleading information to students about HIV, experts allege.

Class action lawsuit filed against MERS over unpaid taxes

foreclosure
By Todd A. Heywood | 11.15.11

Two county registers of deeds filed a class action lawsuit Monday on behalf of Michigan’s 83 counties alleging that the Mortgage Electronic Registration Services owes millions of dollars in property title transfer taxes.

Schuette fights important mercury regulations

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By Eartha Jane Melzer | 11.14.11

Despite evidence of the impact of mercury on children and public health, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette last month joined with 24 other state attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to scuttle new EPA regulations that would reduce mercury emissions from power plants.

Riddle implicates John Conyers in wife’s corruption troubles

By Ed Brayton | 06.29.09 | 9:52 am

It appears that last week’s guilty plea by Monica Conyers was not the end of the revelations of possible corruption, and the problems may go beyond the Detroit City Councilwoman and implicate her husband, longtime U.S. Rep. John Conyers, as well. The Detroit Free Press reports on new accusations coming from former Conyers aide Sam Riddle:

The aide, Sam Riddle, said Conyers even helped draft a letter sent by her husband, Congressman John Conyers Jr., D-Mich., to help a man with whom she had financial ties. It is unclear whether John Conyers knew of his wife’s alleged link to the businessman.

In that deal, Riddle said, Monica Conyers arranged for Riddle to get a $20,000 contract with Greektown entrepreneur Dimitrios (Jim) Papas in about 2007. Riddle said Papas hired him for crisis consulting and political advising — but he was never asked to do any work. She then demanded $10,000 of that money as a “finder’s fee,” Riddle said.

At some point after Papas paid him, Riddle said, John Conyers sent a letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in support of a controversial hazardous waste injection well in Romulus that one of Papas’ companies was seeking to operate.

The U.S. Attorney in charge of the investigation said last week that they had no evidence that John Conyers had been “knowingly or intentionally involved” in his wife’s corruption, but he also said that this is only the beginning of the indictments and that the corruption went much deeper than just Monica Conyers. With Riddle now on the record implicating the longtime Congressman, John Conyers finds himself clearly in the crosshairs of the investigation.

Comments

  • johnhkennedy

    Could Rep. John Conyers be forced from office?

    Rep. John Conyers, Chairman of the US House Judiciary Committee has been in office for over 40 years. Can you say entrenched? Entitled? Or perhaps moribund.

    Conyers has been a big disappointment to Impeachment and Torture Accountability advocates.
    His Judiciary Committee is where impeachment of Bush and Cheney had to have started.

    He has been Chairman since 2007 not 2009 as the article states. As Chairman Rep. Conyers controlled whether Impeachment would ever see debate or a vote in his Judiciary Committee. If an impeachment bill didn't get a fair hearing in his committee, it would never get an up or down vote in the full House. Did he single handedly block impeachment?

    Conyers portrayed himself as the the leading advocate of Impeachment in the House, but blocked it for seven years and kept Rep. Kucinich's Bush-Cheney Impeachment Bills from ever being voted on. One of those Kucinich bills had more co-sponsors than were on the bill to impeach President Nixon in the 1970s.

    There were millions of American voters begging for justice for Bush and Cheney for seven years. But Conyers had every excuse in the book why he just could not allow impeachment to be publicly debated or investigated in his committee.

    Impeachment was something Conyers would be for when the GOP held total power, but when the Democrats took control of the US House he was no longer willing to allow debate in his Judiciary Committee. One moment he was for it and the next afraid of it. Or of Pelosi.

    When our Constitution and rule of law needed his courage, he was scared of disobeying Speaker Pelosi's order to keep impeachment off the table.

    An impeachment petition with over 1.1 Million Signatures was delivered to Conyers, but he had the activists accompanying its delivery that day arrested when they did a sit-in in his office. The activists were there because Conyers dithered and essentially Refused To Allow Debate Of Impeachment In His Judiciary Committee. He buried Rep. Kucinich's impeachment bills.

    Did Chairman Conyers single handedly keep Bush and Cheney in Office? He wouldn't be the first congressmen to ruin his good works by failing to have the courage to do the most important things. In this case, to protect our Constitution as he agreed to do in his oath of office.

    Does he owe an apology to the over 34,000 US Soldiers who were killed or maimed for NOTHING in the unnecessary IRAQ WAR? Especially the thousands killed or maimed after the 2006 election?

    And then there is the matter of failing to enforce his subpoena to Karl Rove to testify. Did the neocons get a pass from Conyers or was he just too tired to enforce the subpoena.

    You decide. Meanwhile

    SIGN THE PETITION
    To Prosecute Those Bush staffers who Tortured In Our Name
    at ANGRYVOTERS.ORG

    http://ANGRYVOTERS.ORG

    Note: Rep. Conyers is also the champion of Single Payer in the House.
    Given his performance on impeachment
    What Chance has Single Payer?

    What do you think?

  • walterw

    Interesting that you leave out the part of the US Atty's statement that exonerates John Conyers completely. “I also want to make it equally clear that the evidence offered no suggestion that United States Representative John Conyers, Ms. Conyers' husband, had any knowledge or role in Ms. Conyers' illegal conduct, nor did the Congressman attempt to influence this investigation in any way.”

  • johnhkennedy

    I hope Rep. John Conyers is exonerated. The truth surfacing will do that.

    But the part you quote hardly does that

    The other part of the article is
    “but he also said that this is only the beginning of the indictments
    and that the corruption went much deeper than just Monica Conyers.

    With Riddle now on the record implicating the longtime Congressman, John Conyers finds himself clearly in the crosshairs of the investigation”

    No one knows where this will lead, but we need to know the truth.

    .

  • johnhkennedy

    I notice that your link to the Detroit Free Press article is defunct.

    I found this article at the Detroit News that says much the same thing.

    “Synagro bribery case leaks probed” at
    http://tinyurl.com/nl4rcn

    From the article “Riddle told The Detroit News in a recent interview that Conyers referred Papas to him and Riddle gave her half of the $20,000 he received. Later, Conyers' husband, U.S. Rep. John Conyers, D-Detroit, signed a supportive letter for Papas' injection well company, Environmental Geo-Technologies, even though his staff had spoken against such wells at public hearings, when another company was backing a similar plan.”

    “But a state legislator who is an outspoken critic of the injection wells said Monday that it's time for Conyers to explain why and how his signature ended up on the letter to the Environmental Protection Agency in 2007.”

    It would seem that there probably is something there that might require an explanation from Rep. John Conyers the 80 year old Democratic Congressman who has been in office for 40 years and Chairs the House Judiciary Committee. Probably it is harmless but it needs daylight.

  • johnhkennedy

    Just discovered a similar article with related comments Detroit Free Press
    http://tinyurl.com/lphe5s

    From the article “Before U.S. Rep. John Conyers was for a waste injection well in Romulus, he stood with fellow Democratic Rep. John Dingell who was against it.”

    “The Free Press also has learned that Papas was a political supporter of Monica Conyers. He contributed $1,500 in 2005 to her successful run for City Council. He also cohosted a fund-raiser that brought $12,250 to her campaign, records show. Riddle, who spoke exclusively to the Free Press for Monday editions, said the 2007 EPA letter from John Conyers was generated by Monica Conyers after she arranged a $20,000 consulting contract for Riddle with Papas”

    “State Rep. Doug Geiss, a Taylor Democrat who represents Romulus and is an ardent opponent of the deep-injection well, demanded Monday that John Conyers clarify his position on the project.

    “I’d like the congressman to go on the record,” he said. “I call for him to publicly state it.” “

    The Conyers family saga continues.

  • DANSHANTEAL

    THERE'S BLOOD IN THE WATER. WHEN DID HE KNOW AND WHAT DID HE KNOW? I BELIEVE THERE'S ABOUT $16,O000 IN CASH INVOLVED. WHERE DID THEY STASH IT (THE REFRIGERATOR?) AND HOW DID THEY SPEND IT? WOULD THEY DO IT ONLY FOR $16,000 OR WAS THERE MUCH MORE? WHAT DOES THE U.S. ATTORNEY KNOW AND WHEN DID HE LEARN ABOUT IT? DID HE INTEND TO GIVE HIM A FREE RIDE? WILL THE HOUSE ETHICS COMMMITTEE GET INVOLVED? THE ETHICS CASES IN THE HOUSE ARE STARTING TO STACK UP LIKE PLANES READY TO LAND OR CRASH.TERM LIMITS WOULD HAVE SOLVED THIS ONE LONG AGO.

  • johnhkennedy

    I notice that your link to the Detroit Free Press article is defunct.

    I found this article at the Detroit News that says much the same thing.

    “Synagro bribery case leaks probed” at
    http://tinyurl.com/nl4rcn

    From the article “Riddle told The Detroit News in a recent interview that Conyers referred Papas to him and Riddle gave her half of the $20,000 he received. Later, Conyers' husband, U.S. Rep. John Conyers, D-Detroit, signed a supportive letter for Papas' injection well company, Environmental Geo-Technologies, even though his staff had spoken against such wells at public hearings, when another company was backing a similar plan.”

    “But a state legislator who is an outspoken critic of the injection wells said Monday that it's time for Conyers to explain why and how his signature ended up on the letter to the Environmental Protection Agency in 2007.”

    It would seem that there probably is something there that might require an explanation from Rep. John Conyers the 80 year old Democratic Congressman who has been in office for 40 years and Chairs the House Judiciary Committee. Probably it is harmless but it needs daylight.

  • johnhkennedy

    Just discovered a similar article with related comments Detroit Free Press
    http://tinyurl.com/lphe5s

    From the article “Before U.S. Rep. John Conyers was for a waste injection well in Romulus, he stood with fellow Democratic Rep. John Dingell who was against it.”

    “The Free Press also has learned that Papas was a political supporter of Monica Conyers. He contributed $1,500 in 2005 to her successful run for City Council. He also cohosted a fund-raiser that brought $12,250 to her campaign, records show. Riddle, who spoke exclusively to the Free Press for Monday editions, said the 2007 EPA letter from John Conyers was generated by Monica Conyers after she arranged a $20,000 consulting contract for Riddle with Papas”

    “State Rep. Doug Geiss, a Taylor Democrat who represents Romulus and is an ardent opponent of the deep-injection well, demanded Monday that John Conyers clarify his position on the project.

    “I’d like the congressman to go on the record,” he said. “I call for him to publicly state it.” “

    The Conyers family saga continues.

  • DANSHANTEAL

    THERE'S BLOOD IN THE WATER. WHEN DID HE KNOW AND WHAT DID HE KNOW? I BELIEVE THERE'S ABOUT $16,O000 IN CASH INVOLVED. WHERE DID THEY STASH IT (THE REFRIGERATOR?) AND HOW DID THEY SPEND IT? WOULD THEY DO IT ONLY FOR $16,000 OR WAS THERE MUCH MORE? WHAT DOES THE U.S. ATTORNEY KNOW AND WHEN DID HE LEARN ABOUT IT? DID HE INTEND TO GIVE HIM A FREE RIDE? WILL THE HOUSE ETHICS COMMMITTEE GET INVOLVED? THE ETHICS CASES IN THE HOUSE ARE STARTING TO STACK UP LIKE PLANES READY TO LAND OR CRASH.TERM LIMITS WOULD HAVE SOLVED THIS ONE LONG AGO.

  • johnhkennedy

    I notice that your link to the Detroit Free Press article is defunct.

    I found this article at the Detroit News that says much the same thing.

    “Synagro bribery case leaks probed” at
    http://tinyurl.com/nl4rcn

    From the article “Riddle told The Detroit News in a recent interview that Conyers referred Papas to him and Riddle gave her half of the $20,000 he received. Later, Conyers' husband, U.S. Rep. John Conyers, D-Detroit, signed a supportive letter for Papas' injection well company, Environmental Geo-Technologies, even though his staff had spoken against such wells at public hearings, when another company was backing a similar plan.”

    “But a state legislator who is an outspoken critic of the injection wells said Monday that it's time for Conyers to explain why and how his signature ended up on the letter to the Environmental Protection Agency in 2007.”

    It would seem that there probably is something there that might require an explanation from Rep. John Conyers the 80 year old Democratic Congressman who has been in office for 40 years and Chairs the House Judiciary Committee. Probably it is harmless but it needs daylight.

  • johnhkennedy

    Just discovered a similar article with related comments Detroit Free Press
    http://tinyurl.com/lphe5s

    From the article “Before U.S. Rep. John Conyers was for a waste injection well in Romulus, he stood with fellow Democratic Rep. John Dingell who was against it.”

    “The Free Press also has learned that Papas was a political supporter of Monica Conyers. He contributed $1,500 in 2005 to her successful run for City Council. He also cohosted a fund-raiser that brought $12,250 to her campaign, records show. Riddle, who spoke exclusively to the Free Press for Monday editions, said the 2007 EPA letter from John Conyers was generated by Monica Conyers after she arranged a $20,000 consulting contract for Riddle with Papas”

    “State Rep. Doug Geiss, a Taylor Democrat who represents Romulus and is an ardent opponent of the deep-injection well, demanded Monday that John Conyers clarify his position on the project.

    “I’d like the congressman to go on the record,” he said. “I call for him to publicly state it.” “

    The Conyers family saga continues.

  • DANSHANTEAL

    THERE'S BLOOD IN THE WATER. WHEN DID HE KNOW AND WHAT DID HE KNOW? I BELIEVE THERE'S ABOUT $16,O000 IN CASH INVOLVED. WHERE DID THEY STASH IT (THE REFRIGERATOR?) AND HOW DID THEY SPEND IT? WOULD THEY DO IT ONLY FOR $16,000 OR WAS THERE MUCH MORE? WHAT DOES THE U.S. ATTORNEY KNOW AND WHEN DID HE LEARN ABOUT IT? DID HE INTEND TO GIVE HIM A FREE RIDE? WILL THE HOUSE ETHICS COMMMITTEE GET INVOLVED? THE ETHICS CASES IN THE HOUSE ARE STARTING TO STACK UP LIKE PLANES READY TO LAND OR CRASH.TERM LIMITS WOULD HAVE SOLVED THIS ONE LONG AGO.

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